What We Share
by MidnightDreamer12
Summary: What could be more insane than taking the senior class at Fairy Tail High to camp? Absolutely nothing! They say it takes an adventure of a lifetime to create everlasting bonds, and the students find out just how true that is. High school AU. Jerza, Nalu, Gruvia, Gale, and more!
1. Chapter 1

**What We Share: Chapter 1**

 **Welcome to my new fanfic! All of this is totally based off of a true story, well, most of it anyway, just with our favorite Fairy Tail characters, of course. This is a high school AU. As for my other story, I briefly put it on hold so I can at least start this one. I'll probably switch back and forth between the two stories when I update, so keep that in mind. Here's the kickoff to my second fanfic!**

 _Fairy Tail High- gymnasium_

"Come on you guys, hurry up! Natsu saved us seats!" Lucy pushed her way through the crowd of rambunctious high schoolers, trying to make her way toward where Natsu was sitting on the bleachers. Poor Levy could hardly keep up with Lucy, and had to rely on Erza and Juvia to keep her from getting trampled. A crowded auditorium was not the safest place to be for someone of Levy's stature.

The three girls followed Lucy as best as they could going up the stairs that ran down the middle of the bleachers.

After reaching the right elevation, Lucy turned right down the row where Natsu, Gray, Gajeel, and Jellal sat. Erza had to push away a few people to finally catch up with Lucy. It was unfortunate that she did, for the next instant had Erza tripping over Levy's heels, who toppled over onto Juvia, who fell on Lucy, who, much to everyone's entertainment, landed right on Natsu's lap.

Just as the other three girls got to their feet, Lucy jumped about five feet in the air with a shriek. In her rush to get off of Natsu, (and make sure he didn't see her cheeks, which were practically in fire) she bumped into Juvia, who fell backward onto Levy, who fell backward onto Erza. The assembly hadn't even started and the four poor girls were already wishing to get the hell out of the gym.

Lucy quickly took her seat next to Natsu before any more damage could be done. Her downcast eyes gave Natsu the hint not to bother her while she lived out this moment of humiliation. Good thing, too, or his face might not look as pretty as it did now.

Levy, Juvia, and Erza sat down on the wooden bench, wanting nothing more than for the assembly to start before the boys had a chance to increase their embarrassment. No such luck. Principal Makarov took his sweet time in getting things started.

Erza glanced to her left, where her best friend, Jellal, sat. His kind eyes sparkled as he gave her a soft and sweet smile. Erza loved his smiles. No matter how bad any given situation could be, a smile from Jellal was all it took to lift Erza's spirits.

"You're not hurt, are you?" Of course that would be the first thing he'd ask. Unlike the other boys, he skipped the teasing and went right into making sure she was okay.

Erza smiled. "Yeah, I'm fine. I can handle a little tumble."

"That's good. Wouldn't want you to be injured."

Erza could help the blush that creeped up on her face at his caring words. Leave it to Jellal to make her flustered.

Before anyone else got the chance to speak, Principal Makarov tapped the mic,– which was conveniently lowered to fit his height– cleared his throat, and began to address the students.

"Alright, listen up brats. I have an important announcement to make."

He paused dramatically, as if expecting a reaction from the crowd. He didn't get one. "There are going to be a few changes around Fairy Tail High. Well, it's actually only one change but I decided it was special enough to pretend it was more than one." The entire school sweat dropped. "A new tradition is being put in place. Each year, all of the seniors will get to attend a three day, two night camp."

The students started chatting and whispering with excitement, especially the seniors. Erza and Jellal looked at each other and grinned.

"A camp!" Erza exclaimed, "how exciting! We get to go this year!"

"Indeed. This should be the adventure of a lifetime."

"Quiet down, brats!" Makarov yelled, hushing up the thrilled group. "Let me finish. Your homeroom teachers will explain all of the little details, but I'll give everyone the basic overview now. It'll be in early June, after all of the final exams. You'll be sleeping in cabins, not tents, so don't worry about that. The days will be filled with fun activities to strengthen your bond as a family. There will be no academics and school work involved, just fun and love to share with your classmates."

The seniors shifted in anticipation. Erza could practically feel the excitement building up. It was only February, so they had a ways to go before camp, but that didn't stop the students from bouncing in their seats. Just talking about it made everyone want to hop on the bus and head to camp right then and there.

"That's pretty much it. The teachers will explain cabin groups, packing, medical things, all of that stuff. Now, all of you go to class, I'm sick of looking at you."

 _3.5 months later_

 _Fairy Tail High– Mr. Clive's classroom_

The teachers in charge of the senior class decided to switch around the normal schedule and spend a great deal of time talking about camp, which was only two weeks away. Every single senior, Principal Makarov, Mr. Clive, and Ms. Porlyusica all crowded Mr. Clive's room to discuss what the senior class has been waiting for.

Erza, Jellal, Natsu, and Lucy were all crammed in the far corner of the room. Fitting every senior in one classroom was a bit of a tight squeeze.

"So, first things first," Mr. Clive began, "cabin groups."

The two words were all it took to have the room erupt into noise. Everyone was eager to find out who would be camping with who, especially the girls.

"I don't know yet." The students groaned. "Which is why you're all helping me decide who's with who." That cheered them up. "I'm giving everyone a little sheet of paper. I want you to write your name, and list the top three people, of your same gender, who you most want to be in your cabin group. 'But Mr. Clive, there's six of us!'" The teacher took on the tone of a high-pitched student. "I don't care. List your top three. The cabins will all range from eight to eleven people in each, so I'm sure there'll be enough room for all of you. Since this is probably most most drama-inducing event of all year, don't share it with anyone. Got it? Here are the papers."

Mr. Clive handed out little blue papers to the students' awaiting hands. When Erza received hers, she stared long and hard at the small sheet before writing her own name at the top. Her first choice would definitely be Mira, her best girlfriend. There was no way Erza wouldn't have gossip central in her cabin. Next had to be Lucy. Although Erza wasn't as close to Lucy as she was Mira, they were still good friends. Only one spot left. Erza tapped her pencil on the paper and glanced around the room. Levy, maybe? No, Lucy would undoubtedly pick her, so they would probably all end up in the same cabin anyway. Juvia? After a second of thinking, Erza scrawled down Juvia's name.

Lucy decided on her three rather quickly. Just as Erza predicted, Levy was her first choice. Her other two spots went to Erza and Cana.

On the other side of the room, Juvia glared down at her paper. How could she possibly choose between all of her friends? She thought it was unfair that Gray couldn't be in her cabin. Now for her first choice. It was only right that Meredy got to be with her. She was her first female friend when she came to Fairy Tail High. Juvia gave the second spot to Lisanna, who she'd recently become very close with. Now for the last person… Juvia suddenly had the greatest idea. If Lucy was in her cabin, then she would have more opportunities to make sure she wasn't with her beloved Gray-sama! Yes, this was perfect. Juvia wrote down "Love Rival" as her third choice, completely unaware that Mr. Clive would have no idea who that is.

"Alright, is everyone done?" When the class remained silent, Mr. Clive took that as a yes. "Excellent. Fold 'em up and put them in this bucket."

Chaos occurred as every senior student tried to get to the front of the room. When the madness settled, Mr. Clive began talking again. "Now the packing list. Take one and pass it around." A sheet of paper went out to every student. "Obviously you'll need to pack the essentials. Clothes, toiletries, and whatnot. Bring whatever crap you need for showering. There's a hike at camp, so bring suitable shoes. It's an easy climb, so a good pair of tennis shoes will suffice. There's a lake as well, and yes, we will be swimming. Bring swimwear if you want, but no one will force you to swim if you don't want to. It'll also be helpful to have a watch of some sort to tell the time."

"Why can't we just use our phones?" Gray asked.

"Because, we have a very strict no electronics rule at camp, cell phones or otherwise. If we find out you brought any sort of electronic device, you'll be all kinds of trouble."

"What's the big deal if we bring electronics to camp?" Natsu pressed.

Mr. Clive glared in his direction. He started to speak when Principal Makarov stepped forward and answered. "Camp is a special time that is meant to bring everyone closer together. The main goal is to strengthen our bonds as a class and learn to appreciate each and everyone of our fellow students. If you brats are constantly on your phones, you're isolating yourself from the group, which is the exact opposite of what is supposed to happen. Even things like books can isolate you, so I'd advise not to bring those, either." Levy's shoulders slumped as Principal Makarov finished his speech. Erza suspected several students were already thinking of ways to sneak electronics into camp. In Levy's case, books,

"Thank you, sir." Mr. Clive took over again. "Now, I'd definitely advise bringing a water bottle or canteen of sorts. We will provide plastic water bottles, but it's always convenient to have one of your own. I also recommend taking a game with you if you get bored during free time. Cards and board games are ideal, especially if you can include several people."

The seniors nodded. So far everything seemed pretty basic.

"Now for the things you will NOT bring. Principal Makarov already talked about electronics, and that includes anything that would isolate you from others. Next, food. I assure you, you will be well fed at camp. There's no need to bring snacks with you. If you leave food, especially sugary food, in your cabins, there's a very good chance you'll be getting visits from critters. And I mean anything from ants to raccoons. If you don't believe me, just try breaking this rule."

No one really wanted to snuggle with unwanted visitors, so they all vigorously nodded.

"However, you will need to bring a disposable lunch with you for the ride to camp. It's quite a drive, so we'll stop for lunch on the way. Other than that, I should see zero food with you. Next thing you absolutely shouldn't bring, weapons. I'm sure this is self apparent, but I'm telling you anyway. Any item that might be seen as a weapon is absolutely forbidden."

That seemed obvious enough. No one questioned that rule.

"Next thing. Some of you won't like this, but that's too bad. The maximum amount of luggage you can bring is one bag, plus a sleeping bag and pillow. I'll allow a small little backpack to carry around water bottles and such."

A protest immediately went up, mostly from the females in the room.

"Quiet!" Mr. Clive yelled. "There's limited space to store everyone's crap, so I don't want you packing your whole bedroom and bathroom."

More shouts erupted.

"I can't fit all of my hair products plus everything else I need to pack in one bag! That's crazy! And what about my makeup? Where's that going to go?" Evergreen practically threatened the teacher with her tone.

"You'll survive without your beauty crap for a few days. One bag only. Got it?"

Despite the grumbles still resonating in the room, no one spoke up again. Erza, too horrified to say anything, just stared ahead with a blank expression. One bag? Impossible! She had quite the reputation for over-packing, and this rule felt like it was made just for her. Erza had no idea how she could fit all of her necessities in a single suitcase.

Jellal clearly noticed her dilemma and chuckled to himself, giving her a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "I pack really light, so I can carry some stuff for you, if you'd like."

Erza looked at him with hopeful eyes. "You will?"

Jellal nodded with a smile. "Yeah. I don't mind."

"Thank you! That's great!" Erza beamed up at him, and he ruffled her scarlet hair.

"Any time."

The pair turned their attention back to the front of the room as Ms. Porlyusica stepped forward to address the crowd. "I'm the nurse on this camping trip, so I'll tell you how all of that works. If you need to take medicine and it's something that's over the counter, then you can bring it with you. Just remember that if you do this, you absolutely will not share it with anyone else. If you need to take something that's prescribed by a doctor, you need to store it with me, and come find me to take it. Any questions?"

No one had any.

"Splendid!" Mr. Clive grinned. "That's everything you need to know for now. The rest will be explained when we get to camp. Now move along to your first period class."

The students filed out of the room, all buzzing with anticipation. Only three more days until they'd be on their way.

A/N: I know that was pretty slow, but the pace will start to pick up in the next two chapters. Thanks for reading!


	2. Chapter 2

**What We Share: Chapter 2**

 **Thank you so much to everyone who favorited, followed, and reviewed! You guys are so amazing!**

 _The night before camp—Erza's bedroom_

Like the responsible student she was, Erza had waited until the last minute to pack. Her excuse was that she was too busy with the girls in her cabin group to actually start packing. Yes, the cabin groups were now decided.

 _Flashback—Yesterday_

 _"Alright guys, the cabin groups have been decided. I'm posting the sheet on the wall outside the classroom after school, you can look at it then." Mr. Clive announced._

 _Just as expected, students swarmed outside his classroom as soon as the final bell rang. Erza was indeed curious, but decided to wait until the crowd cleared to see who she would be bunking with. Jellal walked up next to her as she waited for the seniors to leave the area._

 _"Did you see the list yet?" He inquired._

 _Erza shook her head. "I'm waiting. I don't really feel like shoving my way to the front."_

 _"Good plan. I'll wait with you."_

 _The two listened to people shriek "we're in the same cabin!" until they found themselves standing before the sheet of paper._

 **Senior Camp Cabin Groups**

 **Boys**

Fairy Plains Cabin:

Natsu

Gray

Gajeel

Jellal

Elfman

Lyon

Erik

Laxus

Bixlow

 **Girls**

Fairy Hills Cabin:

Lucy

Juvia

Levy

Erza

Mira

Lisanna

Cana

Meredy

Kinana

 _There were other cabin groups, of course, but these were the only two Erza and Jellal really cared about._

 _Erza grinned, pleased with her cabin group. She'd gotten everyone on her list, plus others she wanted but didn't have room for on the paper Mr. Clive gave out. Jellal was also happy with his group, although quite predictable._

 _"Well, not bad! I like my cabin group!" Erza declared._

 _"I like mine as well. Camp will definitely be fun!" Jellal added._

 _End Flashback_

After realizing her bag wasn't going to pack itself, Erza hastily began picking out clothes and throwing them in, checking things off on the packing list Mr. Clive provided. She was on a roll until her phone buzzed, completely distracting her.

 _Do you have anything you want to put in my bag? I can swing by your place if you need me to._

From Jellal, of course. Erza could already tell she would need more space, so she sent a quick text back.

 _Yes, I have a few things that don't fit. Thank you so much, you're the best!_

 _;) Be there in ten._

Erza set her phone down with a sigh and resumed packing. What would she do without him?

A knock sounded on the front door just as Erza finished cramming what she could in the duffel bag.

"I'll get it!" Erza yelled before her parents or sister got the door. She flew down the steps and swung open the wooden door to reveal her one and only best friend. "Hey! Come in!"

Erza led Jellal back up the stairs to her bedroom.

"What do you need me to take? I can fit quite a few more things in my suitcase."

Erza handed him a plastic bag filled with the items she couldn't stuff in her bag. "Just this. For the life of me I can't find a spot for it!"

Smiling, Jellal took the small bag. "I've got plenty of room for this. Are you sure there's nothing else you want me to take?"

Erza couldn't help the grin that crept up on her cheeks. It was so like him to help her in any way possible. "No, thank you though. I've got everything else."

"Great! I'll see you tomorrow at school then."

"Yup! Thanks again for doing this."

"It's no problem at all."

Erza walked him back downstairs and gave him a quick hug before he left. Jellal gave her a wink as she shut the door behind him, leaving her blushing and awkwardly standing in front of the door.

"Who was that?"

Erza whirled around at the sound of her mother's voice. "Jellal." She seriously hoped she looked and sounded casual when she said that.

"Oh, Jellal, huh? You're blushing."

The comment only succeeded in making her face turn even more red. "No I'm not! It's just hot in here!" Erza mentally cursed herself at the lame excuse.

"Whatever you say," Erza's mother snickered as she walked away.

Back in Erza's bedroom, the soon to be camper double checked she had everything packed. The last time she went somewhere overnight, she forgot to bring all of her toiletries. That was the absolute last thing she needed. Satisfied she was ship shape and ready to go, Erza climbed in bed. Sleep sounded especially good when the seniors were leaving for camp the next morning.

Camp. She had never actually been camping before, but it's not like they were sleeping in tents or anything. Then again, there is no telling how clean and secure the cabins were. Erza just hoped they had heaters so she wouldn't freeze to death in the middle of the night. Thoughts of camp slowly carried Erza off to dreamland.

Then her phone buzzed. Groaning, she reached out to grab the mobile device from her bedside table. Squinting at the brightness of the screen, Erza read the text message she just received.

 _Don't forget to pack the cards!_

Lucy, reminding her to bring the decks of cards. All of the girls in their cabin decided to bring a game of some sort, and Erza is in charge of playing cards.

 _I got em!_

Erza was actually glad Lucy woke her up with the text message, because she forgot to set her alarm. Once it was set, Erza pulled the covers to her chin, and finally fell asleep.

 _The next morning_

In her half asleep state, Erza wondered what that quacking duck sound could be. It took her about five minutes to finally realize it's her alarm going off. It took another five minutes to for her to drag her lazy butt out of bed.

"Erza! Are you awake? Camp is today!" That would be her mother, yelling at her from the other end of the house.

"I know mom, I'm up!" Erza shouted back.

After hastily getting ready, she hauled everything she packed last night down the stairs and dropped it by the front door.

"Are you ready to go?" Erza's mother approached, munching on a bagel.

"Yeah, I'm ready. It's pretty early, can we stop at Starbucks on the way? I could use some caffeine."

"Sure! Put all your stuff in the car and we'll go."

The two piled the duffle bag, sleeping bag, her lunch, and carry on backpack in the backseat, then got in the car themselves. Erza got herself a frappe on the way to the school.

When her mother pulled into the Fairy Tail High parking lot, Erza immediately jumped out of the car and started gathering her bags.

"Do you need help carrying anything?" Her mother asked.

"No, thank you. I can handle it."

"Okay then. I'll see you in a few days! Have fun!"

Erza waved as best as she could with her hands full, and proceeded to enter the building through the main doors. Mr. Clive was waiting in the entryway, yelling out directions to the seniors.

"Put everything you're not going to carry with you on the bus along the wall. All the stuff you put over there won't be accessed until we get to camp."

Erza walked over to the wall where she found other campers' bags already lined up. As she bent down to put her own bags there, her frappe conveniently spilled on her duffle bag. Erza swore and quickly made sure nothing else was about to spill. Luckily, the damage wasn't too bad. A few paper towels would do the trick. She rushed to the nearest bathroom and snatched up five paper towels. When she ran back to her bags, she made sure to carefully set down her drink to avoid an even bigger mess. As she wiped up the mess, she noticed that some had spilled on the floor as well. Great. Thankfully, the bag and floor didn't suffer any stains.

Erza stretched as she got up again, making sure the remains of her drink stayed in her cup, and threw away the used paper towels. By this time, all of the seniors had arrived and were chattering in the school entryway.

"All right, kids, gather round!" Mr. Clive shouted over the noise.

Erza quickly downed the rest of the frappe and rushed to stand next to the girls in her cabin group.

"You ready?" Mira asked, grinning at the scarlet haired student.

"As ready as I'll ever be," Erza replied. She caught Jellal's eye in the crowd and gave him a smile, which he returned. The other boys in his cabin group surrounded him.

"Okay, here's how this is going to work," Mr. Clive announced once the talking ceased. "The buses will be here any minute. When they arrive, I want you to grab any two bags and bring them outside to be loaded. Don't go searching for your bag, just take the two closest to you and haul them outside. Once that's taken care of, you'll grab another two random bags and load them right on the bus, got it?"

The crowd nodded.

"Good. Once everything is loaded, you'll have one last chance to use the restroom. The bus ride is four hours, so I suggest you do. These aren't charter buses, they're regular school buses, which means no bathrooms and uncomfortable seats. We will be stopping for an early lunch about half way through the trip, so you'll have a bathroom opportunity there as well. Any questions?"

The seniors responded with silence. Mr. Clive glanced out the window. "Looks like the buses are here. Alright, you know what to do."

Erza snatched up the closest two bags, as instructed, and dragged them out to parking lot. One of the bags probably weighed about fifty pounds. No doubt it was one of the girls trying cram in as much as possible. When Mr. Clive gave the signal, she then shoved the bags in the storage compartment underneath the bus.

"Last chance to use the bathroom for the next two hours!" Mr. Clive hollered.

Erza decided it was better safe than sorry, so she quickly used the restroom before joining the others back in the parking lot.

"Alright kids, there's two buses! Pick one and get on! I don't care who you sit with just make sure you're in one of the vehicles!"

There was quite a bit of pushing and shoving as everyone tried to sit with their friends. Erza ended up get jumbled around and had to jump on the nearest bus and take a random seat to avoid getting trampled.

By some miracle, Jellal found her and sat next to her, while Gajeel and Levy took the seat in front of them. Lucy and Juvia sat across the aisle on the right side of the bus, and Natsu and Gray in sat in front of them. Erza was thankful her friends managed to catch up with her, otherwise this would be a very boring bus ride.

"You kids picked the right bus, 'cause this is the one I'm riding on! Haha!" Mr. Clive laughed as he took a seat up front by the driver. Erza and Jellal sat a good eight rows behind him in the middle.

"Here we go, kiddos! Off to camp!" With that, the bus driver pulled away from the school parking lot.

000

"And that's how I became a vegetarian," Levy finished telling Gajeel.

"I might just become one, too, after hearing that," he said, shuddering, "but I don't think I'd be able to give up steak."

It had been an hour since the bus left the school, and the students were keeping themselves busy by sharing stories. Levy just finished telling Gajeel about the traumatizing day she visited the slaughter house. The students also had been entertained with Natsu's story about the time he rode his bike off a small cliff and put himself in the hospital for a week.

"Wow. That's lovely."

Erza and Jellal unfortunately overheard Levy's tale.

"So," Erza began, "tell me about your dream house."

Jellal raised an eyebrow. "My dream house? Like the house I dream of having in the future?"

"Precisely. Tell me about it."

"Well, I guess I always wanted to live on a lake. Not too crowded, with a few neighbors. The house would be simple, yet elegant. I do want a spacious yard, and a balcony that overlooks the water."

Erza smiled. "That sounds nice! What would the interior be like?"

"Just normal, I suppose. A modern kitchen, but an older styled sitting room. It would probably have three bedrooms and bathrooms." He paused. "What about you?"

"Me?" Erza's eyes lit up as she carried herself into the fantasy world. "A mansion, of course! Right on the ocean, with it's own garden. Everything will be modern and expensive, and the master bathroom would have the most glorious bathtub! There will be a whole outdoor deck with a fantastic ocean view!" Erza came back to reality. "But I could never afford that so I'll probably end up living in a plain old house in an average neighborhood. I can dream, though."

"What a lovely home you want to live in," Jellal chuckled.

"It's certainly not a realistic fantasy, although it would be superb if it came true."

"Who knows? I don't know how much FBI agents make, but it could be enough to get you a house like that."

For the longest time, Erza dreamt of being part of the FBI. Many times she told Jellal of all her imaginary adventures. The two had many fond memories of staying up all night when they were younger, pretending they were on secret missions. They grew out of the game when they got into sixth grade, however.

"Maybe." Erza couldn't suppress the dreamy smile that overtook her face at the thought. "You'll for sure get your dream house when you become a super awesome astronomer."

Jellal's career choice, definitely different from Erza's, was to be an astronomer. Ever since he was little, he would lay under the stars and try to identify constellations. The fact that the planets and stars were out of his reach only fueled his desire to know more.

"I hope that's the case. Only time will tell." Jellal grinned, feeling ecstatic his best friend had that much faith in him.

The bus's attention soon turned to Mr. Clive at the front when the intercom crackled to life. "We're approaching the Great Bridge of Fiore. This is one of our country's submarine bases. When we get on the bridge, try looking out over the water. If you're lucky, you just might see a sub."

Erza had the window seat, so she leaned back to make sure Jellal could see as well. Both peered intensely and at the waves as the bus rolled onto the bridge.

"See anything?" Erza asked, "I don't."

Jellal shook his head. "Nope, nothing."

Unfortunately, no one else seemed to spot anything, either.

"Oh well. We might see something on the way back." Lucy said from across the aisle.

The group once again picked up the small talk. There wasn't much else to do, especially since everyone didn't have their electronics.

"Hey, do you guys remember what happened on Lucy's first day at Fairy Tail?" Gray asked with a smirk.

Lucy buried her head in her hands. "Seriously, Gray? Why'd you have to bring that up?"

Lucy transferred to Fairy Tail High halfway through sophomore year. Her first day was not a pleasant one. The day she arrived happened to be the day of the school talent show. Gajeel, a talent show singer, just lost his "bunny girl", and needed a last minute replacement. The instant he saw Lucy in the hallway, he snatched her up, had her put the suit on, and she stood on stage with Gajeel in a skimpy bunny costume. Talk about a great introduction to the new school.

"Gihi! You did good, bunny girl. No need to be embarrassed about it."

Lucy curled up into a ball in shame, still hiding her face. The others laughed as they remembered the day.

The intercom turned on once again. "We're now at the lunch spot! Get your food and get out!" came Mr. Clive's voice.

Ah, lunch. What could possibly go wrong?

A/N: Yeesh. I kind of feel like the quality of this chapter is below par. Let me know what you think, and stay tuned!


	3. Chapter 3

**What We Share: Chapter 3**

 **Hey everyone, sorry for the lateness! I'm adjusting to being back in school now that summer's over, and dealing with a cold. Just a quick note: I know all the characters aren't the same age, but for the sake of the story I'm pretending they are. Once again, a huge thank you to everyone who favorited, followed, and reviewed! It means so much to me every time I see the number of people interested in my story go up. Enjoy the chapter!**

 _At the lunch spot_

"Take your crap and chow down! We're back on the bus in thirty minutes!"

Mr. Clive prided himself on his "control" over the students. Nobody actually cared what he was saying, they just wanted to stretch their legs and eat. Of course, he thought they listened to and obeyed his every order.

The lunch spot didn't have much: a swing set, a covered picnic area, and a bathroom building. Natsu and Gray raced each other to the swings as soon as they laid eyes on it. Lucy and Erza rolled their eyes at the boys' antics. They never grew up.

"Gray-sama! Wait for Juvia!" The blue-haired ran after her love interest.

Lucy sighed. "Well, there she goes."

Levy chuckled. "You kind of have to feel bad for her. I mean she's smitten and he completely ignores her."

The group looked over to see Natsu and Gray bickering, while Juvia gazed at the latter with hearts in her eyes.

Gajeel shook his head. "Stripper will acknowledge her at some point. Come on, let's go eat."

Erza, Jellal, Gajeel, Levy, and Lucy made their way to the picnic tables, which sat under a wooden awning. The place certainly didn't sparkle from cleanliness, but it wasn't repulsive, either.

Erza silently gazed at the evergreen trees, towering over the lunch spot as if to keep it from harm. Magnolia, the region of Fiore Fairy Tail High resided in, possessed an abundant number of the evergreens. For some reason, Erza always felt safe under their gaze. Perhaps they gave her a constant reminder that she was home. No doubt the place they were to camp at had copious amounts of the trees as well. Shaking herself out of her thoughts, Erza turned her attention to the lunch she packed. Her stomach churned suddenly, making her feel like she needed to get herself to the bathroom immediately.

"Hey, are you alright? You're making this sour face," Lucy commented.

"Oh, yeah, I'm fine. I'm just going to run to the restroom real quick before I eat." With that, the red-head made her way to the bathroom building as quickly as possible without looking like she needed to sprint to get to the toilet. Her friends didn't need to know the status of her stomach.

The building wasn't revolting, but that didn't mean it smelled good. Not that Erza particularly cared at the moment. She pushed her way past a few of the giggling, gossiping seniors and locked herself in the only available stall. However, the second she locked the door, the sick feeling immediately vanished.

 _No, there's no way I felt like I was about to have diarrhea and now I feel fine,_ Erza thought to herself _. I need to make sure._

Alas, after trying to use the restroom to no avail, she flushed the empty toilet so it seemed like she actually went and made her way to the sink.

"Oh, hey Erza!" Mira came over and have her a sweet smile. "I can't wait to get to get to camp, it'll be so much fun!"

Erza returned the smile as she finished washing her hands and grabbed a paper towel. "Yeah I know! Now that it's finally here it seems a bit unreal!" She giggled, thinking of all the memories to be made. "Say, Mira? Would you like to join us at the picnic tables?"

"Sure! I'll grab Laxus and my siblings as well."

The two girls exited the bathroom building and leisurely walked to where their friends sat, eating. A closer look determined that Natsu, Gray, and Juvia joined the others. Not to mention what looked like every senior in the Fairy Hills and Fairy Plains cabins.

"I guess everyone's already here!" Erza and Mira both took their seats next to Jellal and Laxus.

Erza decided against eating her lunch, for fear of making her stomach condition worse.

"So, what's everyone looking forward to most?" Lucy questioned the group.

"The food!" Natsu shouted.

"Juvia can't wait to swim!"

"Bunking with the girls!"

"The hike!"

"Campfires!"

The students shouted several answers at once.

"Mr. Clive didn't give us very much information on what's going to happen, so most of it will be a surprise," Gray said.

Levy nodded. "The only activities he told us about were the hike and swimming in the lake. The rest we can only guess. Although, I couldn't imagine we wouldn't have a campfire."

"Five minutes, brats! Clean up and get back on the buses!" Principal Makarov hollered.

"Gramps is here? I thought only Mr. Clive and Ms. Porlyusica were with us!" Natsu exclaimed.

"He must have been on the bus we weren't on." Gajeel grumbled. "Who knows what kind of shit he'll get us into at camp."

The seniors threw away their trash in the provided bins and made their way to the buses, getting back in the seats they sat in before. Erza thought having Principal Makarov with them could be a great deal of fun. He is definitely the type to think up an activity that they'd remember for the rest of their lives.

The second the buses got back on the road, Erza felt it. The churning in her stomach, except worse. Of course the feeling would come back the second the bathroom was gone. Now she would have to wait until they arrived at camp to do anything.

"Hey, you okay?" Jellal inquired, noticing her discomfort.

Erza nodded. "Yeah, my stomach's just bothering me a little, it's nothing to worry about." It was definitely something to worry about.

She wracked her brain, trying to think of what was causing her so much pain. Nothing she ate for breakfast was out of the ordinary, so then why— oh. The frappe. In her haste to listen to instructions after wiping up the spill, she'd guzzled it down so she wouldn't have to bring it in the bus. No wonder why she felt like crap. Erza began to seriously regret that decision as another wave of pain went straight to her digestive system.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Jellal placed a comforting hand on her back.

"Yeah, I'm great!" Erza lied through clenched to teeth.

It was then that the bus went over a large bump, causing Erza to whimper at the movement. The rocky ride certainly wasn't doing her stomach any favors.

"Erza, why don't you lay down?"

"That's really not necess— kya!"

Jellal pulled her down so she was laying in his lap. "Better?"

Erza nodded before turning away so he wouldn't see the blush that spread across her face. Thank goodness she did, because her cheeks went a few shades redder when he ran his hands through her hair. She tried to ignore the snickers and looks from her friends. Of course, she didn't know that Jellal's face rivaled her hair as well. The sensation relaxed her, and she soon found herself drifting off to sleep.

000

Erza had been hoping to wake up to the chatter of the students on the bus, and Jellal's hands running through her hair. No such luck. Instead, she heard the crackle of the bus intercom and Mr. Clive's loud voice.

"If you're afraid of heights, I suggest you don't look out the left side! Ha ha ha!"

Erza blearily sat up, and Jellal smiled at her. The peaceful moment was ruined when two shrieking voices screamed from across the aisle.

"We're on a cliff!" Lucy squealed.

"Gray-sama! Save Juvia!" She practically toppled over trying to reach Gray, who sat in front of her.

Erza and Jellal were sitting on the right side, so they didn't have that great of a view, but from what they could tell, Lucy was right. The bus rode along a narrow ledge with a huge drop on the left side.

"Don't worry kids! Our bus driver had been driving for two whole weeks! He knows what he's doing!" Mr. Clive lamely attempted to reassure the students.

"We're gonna die," Lucy whispered, "good bye, hopes and dreams."

Much to everyone's relief, the bus didn't topple over, and reached a part in the road that didn't have a drop off. The terrifying view was replaced with a lake with water so blue, Erza could scarcely believe it was natural. Everyone gawked at the beautiful lake, surrounded by countless evergreen trees. Nature at its purest.

"See those buildings across the water?" Mr. Clive began, "that's camp right there! We have to drive around, so we'll get there in about twenty minutes. Hang tight!"

Excitement rippled over the crowd upon seeing the camp. Erza, however, refrained from celebrating when she felt yet another painful twist in her abdomen.

Lucy noticed her pain and leaned across the aisle. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing! I'm fine! Don't worry about me!"

Lucy decided it was best not to go there, and went back to chatting with Juvia, Natsu, and Gray.

The rest of the ride consisted of yelling students, Mr. Clive telling them to shut up, and Erza breathing deeply while she tried to ignore her pain. She nearly jumped with relief when the bus came to a complete stop next to a grassy field.

Mr. Clive got in the intercom again. "Before you all jump off the bus, this field here is what I'll be referring to as the 'big field', so keep that in mind. You know the drill for bags, grab a random bag and toss it in the grass. Then we'll take another random few bags and haul them down to the lodge. See that little trail right there?" He pointed to a path in the far side if the big field. "That leads straight to the lodge, you can't miss it. Inside the lodge, you'll see rows of tables. Go past that, all the way to the back of the lodge, and set the bags down on the floor in the giant empty space. Then go back to front of the lodge and take a seat at one of the tables. We'll start orientation as soon as everyone is in the dining area. Understood? Now get to it."

Erza eagerly hopped off the bus and started snatching up bags. The sooner all the bags were in the lodge, the sooner she could get to the bathroom.

Thankfully, the trail to the lodge wasn't even a trail. It took about fifteen seconds to walk there. As Erza walked through the large double doors, the first thing she noticed was a giant elk's head mounted on the back wall. Eight long dining tables with benches sat in two rows toward the front of the room. A cafeteria kitchen was on the other side of a swinging door on the right side of the tables, and a piano stood on the left. Toward the back, half of the room was empty, and Erza assumed this must be where Mr. Clive wanted them to put the bags. She threw them down and took a seat at one of long tables at the front of the lodge. A large window faced out to the path she just walked down from the big field.

Once the tables were occupied with students, Jellal sitting next to Erza of course, Mr. Clive sat up front to address the group. Erza ground her teeth together when the pain returned. She seriously hoped orientation would be short so she could get to the bathroom, wherever it might be.

"Alright everyone, welcome to camp! Before we can all go off and have fun, we need to go over a few things. First, when we leave, this camp will be absolutely spotless. The cleaner you keep it while we're here, the less work it'll be when we leave. Next, you must stay within the camp boundaries. Don't go too far down the lake, on the main road, or past the fences by the cabins. Now, let me tell you where everything's at. You know where the big field is, and here's the lodge. The boys' cabins and bathhouse are out the door we just came in and straight down the path. The girls' cabins and bathhouse are out the back door and straight down the path. When we're done here, you'll take your luggage and bring it to the cabin that has the name of your cabin group."

Finally! Now Erza knew where the bathroom was.

"One thing you should know. The bathhouses by your cabins don't have showers, the only showers are in the bathroom beneath the lodge. There's also a game room down there. If you want to go down to the lake, go out the door we just came in and take a right. The path will take you all the way down there. Now for the itinerary."

Erza wanted to strangle Mr. Clive. Her stomach was absolutely killing her, and he just kept on rambling. She tapped her fingers on the table impatiently while Principal Makarov and Ms. Porlyusica passed out a sheet of paper with a schedule on it to each of the students.

"You'll notice on the itinerary you have some free time after orientation. This is a time for unpacking, swimming at the lake, card and board games, and sports in the little field. I forgot to mention, the little field is about half way down the path to the lake. So now go have fun, and be back at the lodge by five o' clock for dinner!"

With that, Erza jumped out of her seat and ran out the back door to the girls' cabin without grabbing her luggage.

A/N: I hope this was up to par. Let me know what you guys think!


	4. Chapter 4

**What We Share: Chapter 4**

The girls' bathroom building was called "The Big Dipper." Fantastic. The walls, floor, and ceiling were all made out of wood, and the stalls were painted a yellow color that reminded Erza of vomit. The lighting consisted of one bulb hanging from the ceiling. Assortments of bugs crawled in every corner of the room. The worst, however, was the sinks. All of the metal was badly rusted, and soap residue was built up from who knew how many years. At least, Erza hoped it was soap. When she rushed to the first out of three stalls, the next thing she noticed was that the doors didn't have locks. Even better. She didn't have time to worry about it, though. Her intestines made sure of that.

Before long, more female students began entering the bathroom. They were probably done settling into their cabins already.

"So what are you doing first for free time?"

"I think I'm just going to explore a bit and then go swimming down at the lake. What about you?"

Erza awkwardly listened to the other girls' conversations while she sat on the toilet. Her bags were still back in the lodge, and she could only hope they remained undisturbed.

"Hey, Erza! Are you in there?" Lucy's voice called out.

"Yeah!"

"I brought your stuff to the cabin since you left it back at the lodge."

"Oh, thanks! You didn't have to do that!"

"It's no problem. Hurry up, though! Everyone's going down to the lake!"

"Sure thing!" Erza wasn't sure she'd ever had a conversation while dealing with diarrhea before. That was gross.

000

When Erza finally finished dealing with her bowel issues, she headed up the bush-lined path to the Fairy Hills cabins. The chilly air made her damp hands tingle. The Big Dipper's sinks only had two temperatures: cold and colder.

Fairy Hills, fitting to its name, was on a hill. It overlooked the Big Dipper and the other two female cabins. A little further off to the side and down the hill stood the lodge. If she looked out far enough, Erza could barely see the lake beyond all the trees.

"Hey Erza-san!" Juvia emerged from the cabin with a smile, wearing her bikini with a towel in hand. "Head on in! The cabin's actually nicer than Juvia imagined. Juvia's going to the lake, is Erza-san coming?"

"Yeah, I'll be there soon."

"Okay! Bye!" Juvia ran down the hill and back to the lodge where she could access the path to the lake.

Meanwhile, Erza opened the glass door to the cabin. She found it odd that the door would be see-through, but decided not question it. The cabin was divided into three sections: a large open space in the middle, and two rooms with bunks on either side. The structure was all wood, excluding the smooth cement floor. A broom and dustpan were placed in the corner of the open space. Erza imagined Mr. Clive expected the girls to use them when the time came to return home.

After inspecting the bunks, Erza found her belongings on one of the bottom bunks in the left room. She saw Mira, Levy, Juvia, and Lucy's bags occupying the other bunks on the left side. All of the other girls in the Fairy Hills cabin were sleeping in the room on the right side.

Erza made short work of laying out her sleeping bag on her bunk and organizing her things. She wasn't sure if swimming was a good idea after her previous predicament, but decided to do it anyway. There was no way she was going to pass up this opportunity.

Bikini on and towel in hand, Erza left the cabin and began the trudge down to the lake. The hike took longer than she thought it would. It only took about thirty seconds to walk from the cabin to the lodge, but the path leading to the lake was a good five minutes. About half way down, Erza passed a small grassy area where Principal Makarov and a few students were playing a ball game. She figured it must be the little field. The trek paid off, however, when she arrived at the lake and saw the majority of the seniors romping around. The hired life guard stood on the dock, making sure everyone was safe. Students were swimming, jumping in, and lounging on the logs on the shore. The beach consisted of rock, which made going barefoot rather painful, as Erza quickly discovered when she's took off her shoes. The water couldn't be a brighter blue, and it looked so clean it practically sparkled.

Mr. Clive stood on the rocks, filming students with his phone. "Ha! You look ridiculous! Water too cold for you wimps to handle?"

"Why don't you jump in and see for yourself just how damn cold it is?" Gajeel shot back as he climbed out of the lake, shivering.

"I think I'll pass," Mr. Clive chuckled as he got Gajeel on camera.

"Hey, why do you get to have your phone?"

"Teachers get special privileges, kid."

Nearby, Lucy and Levy sat on the dock in their bikinis, dipping their feet in the water. Erza jogged over, wincing at the pain of the rocks on her feet. She sighed in relief when her feet hit the smooth wood.

"You guys aren't going to swim?" Erza asked, taking a seat next to Lucy.

"No way!" Levy cried, "feel for yourself just how cold it is!"

Erza did as she was asked, swinging her feet over the edge of the dock. The water was cold alright, even colder than the faucet water in the Big Dipper. However, Erza had no intention of admitting it. "It's not that cold."

Lucy looked at her incredulously. "Seriously? Why don't you jump in then?"

That was the last thing she wanted to do after she noticed her toes going numb in the water, but the mighty Erza Scarlet never backed down from a dare. "Okay." She set her towel down and waltzed confidently to the end of the dock, Lucy and Levy in tow. She felt triumphant, standing before the lake in her bikini, eying it as if it was a mighty foe she must conquer. "Here goes."

"I'll count to three," Levy offered, "one, two, THREE!"

On three, Erza launched herself into the water. She took a deep breath and squeezed her eyes shut just before impact. She barely had time to think, "maybe this isn't such a good idea," before her body registered the temperature. It seemed as if every cell in her body froze. She hardly even registered her feet scraping the rocky bottom since all she could think about was getting warm.

Erza gasped for air as soon as her head broke the surface. Her teeth rapidly began to chatter, and she could feel her whole body going numb.

"Nice job, Erza!" Lucy shouted from the dock.

"T-t-thanks," Erza managed to say. With that, she stepped back on to shore and back to the dock with her awaiting towel as fast as possible. While she sat on the dock trying to warm up, she questioned the sanity of her fellow classmates who were freely swimming.

"Hey Luce!" Natsu yelled, "come join us! You too, Levy!" Natsu, Gray, Juvia, and Gajeel were all swimming. Erza wondered how they were alive.

While Lucy and Levy vehemently protested, Erza figured she would exact her revenge. Nothing like payback. She crept up behind the two and pushed them off the safety of the dock and right into the ice cold water.

Both the blond and the bluenette shrieked as soon as they came up for air. "Erza!" they accusingly screeched simultaneously.

The scarlet devil laughed maliciously. "Feel the pain now?"

Their suffering was prolonged when Natsu forced them to stay in the water. Erza continued to watch with glee when she felt someone approach her from behind.

"Must be cold. I haven't gotten in yet."

Erza turned around to see Jellal wearing nothing but his swim trunks. She blushed and quickly looked away, despite her desire to ogle his toned body. "Yeah, it's freezing. I don't know how they can stand it."

Jellal folded his arms, and Erza could feel her mouth watering as she watched his muscles ripple with the movement. "I suppose I'd be a coward if I didn't jump in. Why not, right?"

Erza had no clue why he would willingly jump in, even if his pride was on the line. "Go ahead. I'll speak at your funeral."

Jellal laughed. "I'll go in if you go with me."

Was he serious! Erza had no intentions of subjecting herself to icy torture again, but how could she refuse Jellal? "Alright."

She grabbed his hand. "On three," he said. Erza felt a strange case of déjà vu. "One, two, THREE!"

They leaped into the air, hands still intertwined. For some strange reason, the water didn't feel as cold as it did before to Erza.

Jellal shook water out his hair. "Man, that's cold!"

"Can't handle it, Fernandez?" Gray taunted.

"As if."

And just like that, a war started. A splash war. At first it involved just the eight friends, but before long, everyone present at the lake joined in. Of course, Mr. Clive caught it all on camera. That would come back to bite them.

000

The war ended with the teens shivering and numb, struggling to regain warmth, in the lodge. Ms. Porlyusica was shaking her head, mumbling about stupid children and how they could have caught hypothermia. Being the nurse, she took the courtesy of lighting a fire in the lodge's fireplace for the kids to huddle around. Most of them were so cold their lips matched Jellal's hair.

Mr. Clive stood over them, chuckling. "I remember being your age. Ah, the good old days." He stared off into space, reminiscing. "Well, dinner'll be ready in a couple hours. I suggest you don't waste your precious free time."

The students knew this all too well. As soon as their muscles started functioning, the students made their way back to the cabins. When Erza, Lucy, Levy, and Juvia entered, Mira laughed at their shivering states. "Serves you all right for getting in that freezing lake!" Oh the girls had definitely learned their lesson. No more swimming after that.

"So, what do you guys want to do now?" Lucy asked as she peeled off her bathing suit.

"Juvia's going to see what Gray-sama is doing!"

Everyone within earshot sweat-dropped. Of course. They would expect nothing less from Juvia.

"What about you, Levy?" Lucy questioned.

Levy shrugged. "Normally I'd be reading, but Mr. Clive banned that, so I think I'm going to explore the camp a bit more. So far we've seen the big field, the lodge, the Big Dipper, the cabins, the little field, and the lake. I think there's more to see on the the girls' side of camp. I want to see what's behind all the cabins."

"Sounds interesting," Erza commented. "I think I'll go with you."

"Count me in!" Lucy said with excitement.

When the three adventures finished changing into more comfortable clothes and Juvia left to seek Gray, they exited the cabin's back door, located at the back of the open space in the center. Just like the rest of camp, the area behind the cabins consisted of bushes and tall trees.

"I wonder what's back here," Lucy mused. "I did some research on the camp before we came here, and they have a ton of raccoons and the occasional bear. I seriously hope we don't run into either."

Erza confidently shook her head. "I doubt it. The raccoons probably only come out at night after hours, and the odds of seeing a bear are slim to none."

"I hope you're right," Levy whispered while hugging herself.

A small path lead out from the back of the cabin to the unknown area beyond. The trio followed it for a few paces, but soon it became too concealed by fallen leaves to identify where it was. Every step taken resulted in a loud crunch that would attract anything brave enough to approach. Naturally this thought weighed on the minds of the paranoid girls.

"How far do you think we can go? Didn't Mr. Clive say something about the borders of the camp earlier?" Lucy wondered.

By now, the cabin was too far behind them to see, as it was concealed by the trees. In fact, every direction they looked was just trees.

"I think so," Erza replied, "there's probably a sign or something that indicates the edge of camp."

Lucky for the girls, they didn't have to wait long to find out. Another minute of walking led them to a large blue gate. There was no sign, but the meaning was clear enough. Going any further would lead to trouble with Mr. Clive and Principal Makarov.

"Finally!" Lucy cried. "Let's hurry back. Being in these woods is creeping me out." Seeing no other option, the girls did as Lucy suggested. Erza wouldn't have minded exploring a bit more, but time was ticking and she wanted to make sure she did everything camp had to offer before time was up.

Levy couldn't be happier when they reached the back door of the cabin. Like Lucy, she hated being in the treacherous woods. When the girls made their way to the bunks, they noticed Juvia sitting on her bed with a sorrowful expression and puffy eyes.

"Juvia, what's the matter?" Levy sat down next to her and placed an arm around her shoulders.

Juvia sniffled and wiped her nose. "Gray-sama didn't want to hang out with Juvia," she sobbed, "he's so mean!"

"It's alright, Juvia. We'd love to hang out with you! Why don't you join me down in the lodge for a card game?" Erza offered.

"Yeah that's a good idea. Levy and I are going down to lodge as well," Lucy said.

"Okay. Juvia can do that."

Erza took Juvia's hand after grabbing the cards she had packed from her bag, and the four girls left the cabin. The lodge wasn't far, all they had to do was walk down the hill and continue on the short path. Erza turned around and began to walk backwards.

"Isn't this fun? Going to camp with everyone!" Erza said in an effort to lift Juvia's spirits. She was in front of the girls, facing them. Before anyone responded, Juvia came to an abrupt halt, causing the other three to stop and wonder why. Her eyes were fixed on the ground behind Erza. She opened her mouth in an attempt to speak, but no words came out. Instead, she resorted to pointing to let the other girls know what she was staring so intently at.

Erza whirled around to look, and barely caught a glimpse of a snake slithering off the path and into the bushes, only about an inch from her foot. She shrieked and took off running down the path in the direction if the lodge. No way was she sticking around to find out what the snake was going to so next!

Erza didn't stop for air until she was inside the main part of the lodge, where the dining room was. She leaned against one of the tables and caught her breath while Levy, Lucy, and Juvia burst into the hall behind her.

"Relax, Erza!" Levy cried, struggling for air as well. "I did research on this place, remember? I forgot to mention it before: the camp has snakes, but they're just gardener snakes. Totally harmless. In fact, they're more afraid of you than you are of them."

A blush crept up on Erza's cheeks. Right. Totally harmless. That didn't mean she wasn't scared, though. But the mighty Erza certainly wasn't telling her friends that. Camp was interesting enough without the snakes, but it looked like they were one more thing the students were going to have to deal with.


End file.
